New Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola stresses importance of Champions League

Guardiola opted to start with Argentine Willy Caballero against Sunderland and in City’s 5-0 Champions League qualifier victory over Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday.

This previous sale may indicate that Toure is unlikely to feature in any of Guardiola’s plans whilst moving forward at City.

“He is much, much better in the last few days”, Guardiola told reporters.

“We are going to try and score goals and try to convince the players how important it is to play in the Champions League and how lovely it is”, the City manager said at his pre-match media conference.

As well as preferring Caballero for his first league match, Guardiola also left Yaya Toure completely out of the 18-man matchday squad.

The player concluded: “Why not let him fight for his place and then if he is not good enough say: “I have given him an opportunity”.

There was nothing wrong with City’s attacking play in the thrashing of Steaua and bet365 cut Sergio Aguero to 3-1 to win the Premier League Golden Boot after his hat-trick in Bucharest despite missing two first-half penalties. I have a lot of respect about how they play and we are going to try to score goals because in the Champions League scoring goals away is so, so important. “If he decides to go I will understand because we are professionals and we look for what’s best for us and our family”.

“I am very optimistic we can play the football I want”. “That is why he didn’t play, the only reason why”.

“But I’m flattered to be up there with how much they paid for me”.

Manchester City are reportedly happy to send Joe Hart on loan to Everton. I expect them to get a real scare this year and maybe not even get into the top four’.

According to multiple reports in Spain, Manchester City and Barcelona have agreed a transfer deal for goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, who will join the Citizens on a four-year contract for a €20 million transfer fee.